10 Getting Firmware and Software Updates
This section explains the options for accessing server firmware and software updates using My Oracle Support.
Customers are required to install the latest available operating system (OS), patches, and firmware versions for optimal system performance, security, and stability.
- Firmware and Software Updates
- Firmware and Software Update Options
- Software Releases
- Getting Updates From My Oracle Support
- Download Firmware and Software Updates From My Oracle Support
- Update System Firmware Using Oracle ILOM
- Installing System Firmware Using Other Methods
- Downloading an OS or Software Applications
- Oracle Support
Firmware and Software Updates
Firmware and software for your server are updated periodically. These updates are made available as software releases. The software releases are a set of downloadable files (patches) that include all available firmware, software, hardware drivers, tools, and utilities for the server. All of these files have been tested together and verified to work with your server.
You must update your server firmware and software as soon as possible after a new software release becomes available. Software releases often include bug fixes, and updating your server ensures that your server has the latest firmware and software. These updates will increase your system performance, security, and stability.
To determine which firmware version is installed on your server, you can use either the Oracle ILOM web interface or the command-line interface (CLI).
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From the web interface, click System Information → Summary, then view the property value for System Firmware Version in the General Information table.
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From the CLI, at the command prompt, type:
show /System/Firmware
The server Product Notes list the current server software release and firmware version that are available.
Parent topic: Getting Firmware and Software Updates
Firmware and Software Update Options
Use one of the following options to update your server to the latest firmware and software:
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My Oracle Support – All system software releases are available from the My Oracle Support web site at https://support.oracle.com .
For information about what is available from the My Oracle Support web site, see Software Releases.
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Other Methods – You can use Oracle Enterprise Manager Ops Center, Oracle Hardware Management Pack, or Oracle ILOM to update your server software and firmware.
For information, see Installing System Firmware Using Other Methods.
Parent topic: Getting Firmware and Software Updates
Software Releases
Software releases on My Oracle Support are grouped by product family (such as Oracle Server), then the product (the specific server), and finally the software release version. A software release contains all the updated software and firmware for your server as a set of downloadable files (patches), including firmware, drivers, tools, or utilities, all tested together to be compatible with your server.
Each patch is within a zip file that contains set of firmware and software subdirectories and files, along with a ReadMe file. The ReadMe file provides information about the patch, such as what has changed since the prior software release and the bugs that have been fixed in the current release.
My Oracle Support provides the set of software releases for your server as described in the following table. You can obtain these software releases by downloading the files from My Oracle Support.
Package Name | Description | When to Download This Package |
---|---|---|
X7-8 SW release – Firmware Pack |
Contains all system firmware, including Oracle ILOM, BIOS, and option card firmware. |
You need the latest firmware. |
X7-8 SW release – OS Pack |
Includes a package of all tools, drivers, and utilities for a specific OS. An OS Pack is available for each supported operating system version. Software includes Oracle Hardware Management Pack, LSI MegaRAID software, and any other optional software that Oracle recommends. For the Windows OS, the OS Pack also includes Intel Network Teaming and Install Pack. |
You need to update OS-specific tools, drivers, or utilities. |
X7-8 SW release – All Packs |
Includes the Firmware Pack and all OS Packs. This pack does not include the Oracle VTS image. |
You need to update a combination of system firmware and OS-specific software. |
X7-8 SW release – Diagnostics |
Includes Oracle VTS diagnostics image. |
You need the Oracle VTS diagnostics image. |
Parent topic: Getting Firmware and Software Updates
Getting Updates From My Oracle Support
You can obtain updated firmware and software from the My Oracle Support web site at https://support.oracle.com . For instructions, see Download Firmware and Software Updates From My Oracle Support.
Parent topic: Getting Firmware and Software Updates
Download Firmware and Software Updates From My Oracle Support
Parent topic: Getting Firmware and Software Updates
Update System Firmware Using Oracle ILOM
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Determine the Oracle ILOM firmware version currently installed on the system. At the Oracle ILOM prompt, type:
show /System/Firmware
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Download the Firmware Pack (Patch) update from My Oracle Support.
Note:
This procedure uses the Oracle ILOM command-line interface to update the system firmware. You can also update system firmware using the Oracle ILOM web interface. For web interface instructions, refer to the Oracle ILOM documentation at https://www.oracle.com/goto/ilom/docs .To update system firmware, follow these steps:
You can update Oracle ILOM system firmware while the host is powered on. The Oracle ILOM firmware image includes firmware for the service processor (SP, Oracle ILOM) and the server's host components (FPGAs). The Oracle ILOM firmware update goes into immediate effect. However, the update of host components is deferred until the affected host is power cycled. Because Oracle ILOM can be updated while the host is powered on, this feature reduces the total system downtime.
Parent topic: Getting Firmware and Software Updates
Installing System Firmware Using Other Methods
In addition to using Oracle ILOM, you can install firmware and software updates using one of the following methods:
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Oracle Enterprise Manager Ops Center – Use Oracle Enterprise Manager Ops Center to automatically download the latest firmware from Oracle and then install the firmware onto one or more servers. Firmware updates can also be loaded manually into the Enterprise Controller.
For information, refer to the product information page at: https://www.oracle.com/enterprise-manager/technologies/ . For documentation, refer to the Oracle Enterprise Manager Cloud Control Documentation Library at: https://docs.oracle.com/en/enterprise-manager/related-products.html
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Oracle Hardware Management Pack – Use the
fwupdate
CLI Tool in the Oracle Hardware Management Pack software to update firmware in the system.For information, refer to the product information page at: https://www.oracle.com/servers/technologies/hardware-management-pack.html . For documentation, refer to the Oracle Hardware Management Pack Documentation Library at: https://www.oracle.com/goto/ohmp/docs
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Oracle Integrated Lights Out Management (ILOM). For information, refer to the product information page at: https://www.oracle.com/servers/technologies/integrated-lights-out-manager.html . For documentation, refer to the Oracle Integrated Lights Out Manager (ILOM) 5.0 Documentation Library at: https://www.oracle.com/goto/ilom/docs
Parent topic: Getting Firmware and Software Updates
Downloading an OS or Software Applications
You can download an operating system (OS) or software applications for all licensed Oracle products from Oracle Software Delivery Cloud (formerly called Oracle eDelivery). Software is available in zip and ISO formats, which you can unzip or burn to DVDs, respectively. All of the download links on the Oracle Technology Network (OTN) point to the Software Delivery Cloud, making this site the authoritative source for all Oracle OS and application downloads. To access Oracle Software Delivery Cloud, go to https://edelivery.oracle.com/osdc/faces/SoftwareDelivery .
Parent topic: Getting Firmware and Software Updates
Oracle Support
If you need help getting firmware or software updates, or downloading a complete software application, you can call Oracle Support. Use the appropriate number from the Oracle Global Customer Support Contacts Directory at:
Parent topic: Getting Firmware and Software Updates